Gorilla Glass is renowned for its scratch and shatter resistance, along with its remarkable strength, allowing Ford to reduce the amount of glass material used in the GT. This cuts the overall weight of the glass by about 30 percent, or roughly 12 pounds in weight savings. Like many technologies that start in supercars and make their way to more affordable vehicles – paddle shifters and carbon fiber parts, for instance – we could see this Gorilla Glass in more affordable cars, as Ford and Corning work to bring the costs down.
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And as we all know, reducing weight leads to improved acceleration, fuel economy and braking performance.
Corning introduced Gorilla Glass into the consumer technology market in 2007 as a thin, damage-resistant cover material for smartphones and tablets.
Traditional automotive glass consists of two layers of annealed glass sandwiched around a clear, thermoplastic interlayer binding agent.
“In addition to the new hybrid technology for the exterior glass of Ford GT, we’re using a unique glass combination for the bulkhead panel between passenger cell and engine bay”, said Linden. The GT also has a Gorilla Glass engine cover.
In order to test the durability of the new glass, it was tested on mule cars over rough road conditions and even had to endure custom projectile, rollover and wind tunnel tests. “This collaboration demonstrates what Corning does best – applying our expertise in glass and materials science to help industry leaders solve tough challenges, unleash new capabilities, and enhance experiences for customers”. The side windows of the GT, for example, are made of tempered glass.
Lightweight glass isn’t the only option for saving weight. The Ford GT’s glass weighs just 46 pounds compared to the smaller Ford Focus’s 80 pounds. Since the product’s introduction, Corning has continued to significantly improve Gorilla Glass for use in consumer electronics and other applications, such as automobiles, interior architecture, trains, and planes. An expensive supercar like the $400,000 GT can easily absorb that, but mainstream cars can’t.
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Linden says he believes Ford will eventually use Gorilla Glass throughout its lineup.
